Community Service

Helpers’ high: a euphoric feeling, followed by a longer period of calm, experienced after performing a kind act. The physical sensation results from the release of endorphins, and is followed by a longer-lasting period of improved emotional well-being and sense of self-worth, feelings that in turn reduce stress and improve the health of the helper.

As returned Peace Corps Volunteers we have all felt like this at one point or another. The goal of the Community Service Director is to connect RPCVs to local service organizations to continue the Peace Corps spirit of service and feel more connected to the community where we live, work and play. Each month we have group community service events and each week we post announcements for individual service opportunities that volunteers can get involved with on a long-term basis. We hope you can join us soon!

A Letter from the RPCV/W Community Service Director

When I first moved to DC I immediately put “volunteer” on my to-do list. It ended up staying there month after month with no progress made towards finding some type of meaningful volunteer opportunity. As an RPCV I obviously like to volunteer or I wouldn’t have spent 27 months of my life eating rice and beans if it weren’t worth it. I also wanted to volunteer to feel more connected to my new community. But I didn’t want to just do anything; I had criteria. I wanted to find an organization that I believed in; I wanted to match my skills with their needs; and I wanted it to fit into my schedule fairly conveniently. A Google search for “volunteer DC” comes back with endless search results. At first it was a little overwhelming and other tasks on my to-do list seemed to take precedence.

In the late spring I received an e-mail announcing an information session about running for the RPCV/W Board. I attended the meeting and was extremely impressed by the pro

fessionalism and enthusiasm of the board members at the time. I decided to run for the Community Service Director as a perfect way to get involved in service in DC and work to serve other RPCVs interested in volunteering, but who may have also felt a little overwhelmed by it all.

My goal as the Community Service Director is to connect RPCVs to service organizations in the DC area to continue the Peace Corps spirit of service. To achieve this goal I organize a monthly group event where volunteers can simply show up and give a few hours of their time. In addition, for those volunteers who are interested in a more consistent and long-term commitment I do my best to link them with organizations that need their skills by communicating calls for volunteers or training opportunities.

If you are interested in volunteering watch for our monthly events and our announcements for long-term volunteers in our newsletter and Facebook group page.

If you know of a great organization in DC that could use our help please let me know.

I moved to Colombia Heights after living in Latin America for the past 4 years. Many who live in the DC area know it’s difficult to get that feeling of community. I was looking for a solution and delivering food to elderly in need with We Are Family seemed like a perfect way to meet my neighbors.

RPCVs know well the challenges of finding a job and constantly improving one's resume! But for people who speak English as a second language, had little formal education, and no university career center or Peace Corps job resources, navigating the resume writing process can be a challenge.

We'd like to thank the 30 RPCV/W Members who organized and participated in 3 service projects to honor the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service on Saturday, January 19, 2013. Volunteers took time out of their Saturday mornings to work with children with special needs, prepare a mural at an underserved school, and assemble care packages for deployed members of the armed services. Thanks to the magic of Twitter, our efforts were picked up by a reporter who featured us in an article for msn.com. Thanks again to everyone who came out!

December's event was with Language ETC, RPCV/W's Partner in Peace. Every year since 2009, RPCV/W chooses a local non-profit organization to be the focus of our community service, programming, and fundraising efforts in what we call the Partnership for Peace.

November's Community Service event was a success in combining RPCV/W and Rotary Club for a morning of grocery packing and delivery with We Are Family DC, a non-profit organization that serves seniors in the Shaw, North Capitol Street, Adams-Morgan, Petworth, and Columbia Heights neighborhoods.

On Saturday, September 22nd, RPCV/W volunteered to pack and deliver groceries with We Are Family DC, a non-profit organization that serves seniors in the Shaw, North Capitol Street, Adams-Morgan, Petworth, and Columbia Heights neighborhoods.